goat kidding questions

[jeaucamom]

It is not ideal, I know, but is it okay to have two pregnant does together if one is going to kid first. What if she kids first and they are together in their stall that is about 7x7? Is that okay, or no way?

So does the new baby and mom stay shut in that area for a day or so after birth without going outside? Does the other Doe have to go somewhere else during that time?

How long do births normally take once labor is started?

Do I normally have to tie the chord or does the mom normally do that?

Do I have to move the baby up to be near mom? Or does the mom move it? How soon should it eat after being born?

I am sure there will be more, but that is all I can think of for now at midnight as I am up obsessing about this.

 

[dutchhollow]

I will try to answer most of your questions, just from my expierience (used to have 50 does, so have done it a few times, now just down to 5). Does together during kidding is usually not a problem, a 7x 7 area is kind of small, what kind of goat are they, if pygmy or dwarfs should be fine, two full size does in that area without kids would be crowded. If the does are herd mates, mother daughter, you probably need to keep them together as they will panic if separated. I don't keep my locked up after kids are born at all if the wether is nice (I have week old kids now following moms out into snow in temps in the teens).
I did get a smile from this
"Do I normally have to tie the chord or does the mom normally do that?"
They find it hard to tie with the hoof thing going on.

. The cord breaks as the doe moves away from the baby. If I am there I usually break the bag over the face and get the mouth and nose wiped away, but it really isn't neccisary with most does, I just panic. There will be a long rope of cord that is attached to the placenta after they give birth, do not pull on it, no matter how temping, you will damage the uterous and cause a lot of bleeding, it will come out on it's own.
Some will eat the afterbirth and some wont. The time of labor vairies, I have had some go from pawing to kids on the ground in 10 mins, some a few hours.
A big part of it is some does are good moms and some aren't. I always got rid of any that were bad, they seem to pass it on. Have these does kidded before? If they have and raised their kids, you can worry a lot less.

 

[jeaucamom]

They have both kidded once before and raised their babies. They are young though, I think only about 18 months (what the guy said)...not sure if that is mathematically possible to be about ready to give birth for a second time at 18 months... anyway.... just another part of the twisted story.

They are full size goats Nubian cross (I think??????). They have never been apart and it was just those two plus the male. After the male leaves today, they will be the only ones left, so they have to stay together.

LOL... yes, apparently they will not be able to tie the chord... ahhh the joys of midnight obsession typing LOL

ETA that it is about 40 to 50 degrees around here right now during the day.. Is that too cold for the kid? Do I need one of those kid sweaters for it?